Tattooed & Tenacious: Inked Women in California’s History

Tattooed & Tenacious: Inked Women in California’s History

March 20 – December 31, 2016
McKay Gallery at the Pasetta House, History Park

Today, more women than men have tattoos. But what about the first California women to get tattooed? Who were they, and why did they get inked? Discover the fascinating and largely unknown history of the the foremothers of modern tattooing prior to WWII.

Curator Amy Cohen originally created this exhibit at the Hayward Area Historical Society, exploring not only Native American women’s tattoos as an important rite of passage, but upper-class women who started the tattooing trend, working-class Tattooed Ladies who graced the stages of circus sideshows, and some of the first female tattoo artists in California. History San Jose is pleased to present Cohen’s original vision, with additional material featuring artwork and stories from local Santa Clara Valley contemporary tattoo artists and clients.